Nothing Seemingly Different, But Everything Was
by chylex28
Summary: Third story in the You Don't Know Me storyline. Katara came back from her honeymoon alone, and Zuko wants to know what happened to Aang. Read those first, otherwise, this won't make much sense.


Disclaimer: I do not own A:tla, or Blue Bunny's Bunny Tracks ice cream, which is an insanely awesome flavor!

A/N This is the third and probably final part of my story, You Don't Know Me. I didn't plan on it going further than that story, but you know the plot bunnies, they just take over. Just a FYI, the flashbacks that are playing in Katara's head are what happened, but not necessarily what she is telling Zuko.

* * *

Ice cream. They went out for ice cream, for only the billionth time in their lives. It was like any other outing they had gone on together. Zuko and Katara ordered their usual. Katara, a blueberry cheesecake mixer, and Zuko, his Bunny Tracks sundae, for which Katara, as always, teased him. Nothing seemingly different, except everything was.

"I'm sorry..." Katara sputtered between laughs, "But seeing a grown man order a Bunny Tracks sundae... extra sprinkles... It never gets old!"

"Why do you always laugh? You know I need my Bunny Tracks," Zuko accused Katara as he protectively shielded his sundae. " And its AMAZING! You know it is! I mean, c'mon! It's ice cream, chocolate covered peanuts, peanut butter filled chocolate bunnies, fudge, AND peanut buttery caramel! You know how I feel about chocolate and peanut butter."

"Yes, Zuko... I think we all know how you feel about chocolate and peanut butter..."

It was the same conversation, the same arguments they always had, at the same ice cream shop, the same booth, as always. Nothing seemingly different, except everything was.

"Katara, as much as I enjoy this..." Zuko sighed, playing with his dish, "whatever it is... I think maybe we should talk. About Aang. About what happened. I mean, its been a few months now..."

The smile disappeared from Katara's face. "What happened..." she whispered, more to herself than to him.

* * *

"Aang..." Katara whispered, looking down at her hands, "I'm sorry. I just can't. I... I... I... I don't really know what to say. I just can't do this. I can't pretend that I'm happy anymore. You and I... We just don't work like we should. And it's not fair for me to let this go on..."

"Katara... I don't understand. I thought we were happy together. I thought we loved each other..."

"Aang. I didn't mean for it to go like this. Honestly, I don't know why I let it get this far. I'm really sorry."

"Excuse me, sir?," the flight attendant waved for their attention, "we need to vacate the plane now. It needs to be prepared for its next destination."

"Of course, I'm sorry. We'll leave now, won't we Katara?"

"I'm sorry Aang. I need a minute. I'll be leaving first."

* * *

"Zuko... I want to tell you. But I'm scared to. I don't even know where to begin."

"The beginning is usually good. But I'll take whatever, Kat."

"So... I talked to Aang. I couldn't be married to him. I just couldn't! I mean, there is no way I could be his "Forever Girl" like he wanted! Floating around in the world like he does, no real direction. It's just not me."

"I get that. You're grounded. Not nomadic at all. So... What did he say?"

"What could he say? I had made up my mind..."

* * *

"Katara, I just don't understand. We were happy. We were going to have a great life together. How could things change so fast? We just promised our lives to each other..." Aang sulked onto the bench. "Did that mean nothing to you? Do _I_ mean nothing to you?"

"Of course you do!" Katara sat on the bench next to Aang, debating whether touching him would make things better, or worse. "I really do care for you. I... I just don't feel what I should for you. I told you before that I was afraid my feelings weren't enough. Now I know for a fact, they aren't." _Keep your hands to yourself, Katara. Don't be patronizing._

"Katara... I love you... Can't we at least _try_ to make it work?"

"I can't Aang. I already feel like we've wasted too much time denying that we are wrong together. I think you should let go of me and move on. Do you really want to be with me? Knowing that my heart isn't in this. That I don't want to be in this together. Do you?"

"No... But I don't want to be without you either. Katara. Please..."

"Aang, you deserve someone who loves you. Someone who appreciates all your great qualities, and shares your dreams. Someone who doesn't doubt for a second that they love you. That loves you as much as I love..."

"Katara? As much as you love..."

"No one Aang." She turned her body away from him, hoping he wouldn't ask, knowing he would. " It was just a crazy thought."

"Katara? Are you in love with someone else?" Aang slid over, closer to her, touching her arm gently. "I won't be mad. I promise," he whispered. "But I need to know."

Katara got up and took a few steps away from him. There was no way she could tell him. It would only make things worse. She felt Aang standing behind her now, his hand on her shoulder.

"Katara... Please?" he pleaded as he turned her to face him. "If you want me to let go, I need to know there is no hope in holding on."

"Yes, Aang." She whimpered, tears of sorrow and shame creeping down her face. "I'm so sorry. But I love someone else. I didn't mean to. It just happened."

Aang pulled her close, nestling her into his body, stroking her back lovingly. "It's ok Katara. I forgive you. I just want you to be happy. If I can't do that for you, I hope who you love, can. I'll be ok. Please Katara, dont cry anymore."

* * *

"So, he let you go? Wow. He's a really good guy."

"I know. He is amazing. Some lucky girl out there will snatch him up fast."

"I'm glad you had the balls to say something. Wouldn't want you stuck in a marriage with an amazing guy, now would we?" Zuko commented with a smirk.

"Shut up. You know what I mean. He is great, just not right for me."

"So back into the game? Seeking Mr. Right again? Honestly, it sounds exhausting Katara."

"It can be. Especially when you look in all wrong places. But I think it's time to move on. I'm ready for the storybook romance to come my way. For a knight in shining armor on a white zebrahorse to come rescue me," Katara smirked back.

"Are you Katara? I don't think you can get over it so soon. I mean, you were _married_. For a whole 17hours... one doesn't just simply forget that. You know?"

"You sir, are being a jerk. But seriously, I think, no... I know, I'm good to move on with my life."

There was a brief moment of silence, as they both considered what this meant.

"Well then, I have something to say... Something I should have said a long time ago. But I just recently grew a pair. You know, right after you did."

"Ha ha ha... lets hear it," Katara replied, feeling her heartbeat slow down. She hoped, with all her might, that he would say what she wanted to hear. _C'mon Zuko. Please, feel the way I do. Say you love __me, too. Tui, La, please make this happen..._

Zuko took a breathe, and begged Agni that this went well. He had rehearsed what he would say if this moment ever came along, for years. And now, his mind went blank. J_ust say what you feel, don't over think it. Just do it, Zuko. Just do it. _

"I've thought so much about what and how to say this. I've come up with all kinds of things to say. Cheesy things, corny things, and things so cheesy AND corny, Toph just smelled it on me and punched me. But all of it was crap. So here it is..." Zuko took a final last sigh, reaching across the table and grabbing her hand.

"Katara. I love you. I wanna be with you. It's as simple as that. Even though I am afraid of what it means for us, of what it can or will bring. It's the only thing that matters right now. I have always been here, and I always will be. If you let me..."

"Oh! Zuko... " Katara could not speak. There was no way he had said that. And yet, she could feel the warmth of his hand holding hers, see the smolder in his eyes, and could now smell him, as he inched closer to her across the table.

"I'll be your knight in shining armor, and we can ride into the sunset in Blue Spirit, cus I don't have a zebrahorse." Katara gave him a soft smile, and felt tears form in her eyes.

"I'll make sure you never cry again," he promised as he inched even closer, wiping the tears from her face. "Unless its from joy."

Zuko scooted into the booth next to her, never letting go of her hand, or her eyes. "I'll never try to take you away from Kyoshi, or your family."

Zuko leaned in, his forehead to hers. In a very serious voice, he whispered, "And I will NEVER stop ordering Bunny Tracks sundaes, extra sprinkles, just so you can laugh." Katara couldn't help herself. She laughed. She laughed at his humor, at how well he knew her and what she needed. She laughed at them. How all long, here they were. And suddenly, it wasn't funny anymore. It just was.

Katara looked at Zuko, and he stared back. He didn't really need a reply to his declaration, her not stopping him had been enough. Still, he hoped she would. Katara reached her free hand up to his neck, pulling him close to her, closing her eyes. Close enough, he could feel her breathe. He closed his eyes, taking in the moment, unbelieving that it had finally come. Katara leaned in, and breathed the words he'd been dying to hear most of his life.

"I love you, too." And then she kissed him. A kiss full of all the love, over all the years, that they had waited for each other.

There they were. In the same ice cream shop they had gone to for billions of time. In the same booth, with the same orders. Nothing seemingly different, except everything was.


End file.
